Участник:"That even a pitcher like me can work."
The final winner of the 2023 season's Rookie of the Year war was Moon Dong-ju (21, Hanwha Eagles), who threw a maximum 160km/h ball, but Yoon Young-chul (20, KIA Tigers) gave a fresh shock to the baseball game in another sense.
A rookie pitcher with a high school diploma, whose average fastball speed was less than 140 kilometers, pitched 122 ⅔ innings in 25 games in a challenging pro league, posting eight wins and seven losses with an ERA of 4.04. He was the same as Moon. Rather, his message to the baseball league seemed even more powerful.
There were some "slow aesthetics" pitchers who succeeded even with fast balls earlier, but it was not easy to find a pitcher who found his place so quickly since he was a rookie.
He was very calm and bold while dealing with deep-seated hitters in the professional baseball league even with balls that were not fast. One of the accolades that he always followed was that he was "not like a rookie." As a result, he signed an autograph at 90 million won for salary negotiations, up 200 percent from 30 million won last year.
Yoon Young-chul, who recently visited his second professional spring camp, met with reporters at Nabunda Ball Park in Canberra, Australia, and said, "It's similar to last year, but I think I have more peace of mind. I was very nervous last year because I was a rookie, but now I'm doing it more comfortably than last year."
He had a very successful season and has established himself as a left-handed pitcher that the league is paying attention to. He was loved by KIA fans as a player who would not hurt even if he put it in their eyes.
Nonetheless, his shortcomings became more noticeable. Looking back on the past season, Yoon said, "Honestly, I felt sorry for almost everything except for the inning," adding, "There were many regrets here and there, including a lot of ERA and walks. This year, I will try to make up for those improvements."
After finishing the season, Yoon has been to Driveline Baseball Camp in the U.S. for nearly a month. The training has been in the spotlight recently, and is operated in a scientific way that analyzes pitchers to make form and pitch that suits their bodies and sets direction for the training.
It was also an opportunity to set a new direction for Yoon, who is entering his second year. "I was able to see my weaknesses right away. I explained how to make up for it and learned how to exercise accordingly," he said. "It was good to check movements and how to use them."
Of course, not everything is new. However, he said, "There were things I learned that I didn't know and things I knew originally," but added, "There were things I learned in more detail there. I didn't expect much because it was a short period of time, but I thought it would improve a little bit. He also told me how to strain my arm and took advice to prevent injury."
Yoon does not mean that he is not greedy about speed. Through his drive-line work, he also gained expectations for improved speed. "I heard that if you do it consistently, you can raise your speed even more," he said. "I've learned a lot, and I think I should throw more and feel it," he said. "As a starter, average speed is more important than maximum speed. Rather than being greedy right now, I hope I can throw up to the early-mid 140 kilometers on average when I become a player later."
The new season's goal is also clear. The first is innings. As an ace pitcher in high school, he pitched many innings, and he tends to not strain rookie pitchers. However, Yoon did not like the 122 ⅔ innings he pitched. "I want to throw more innings than last year, and as a detailed indicator, I want to change my strikeouts and ERA in a better way. I want to improve even a little bit."
The ERA is the second most coveted after the inning. "I aim for the 3-point range because the ERA depends on how much I score," he said. "I want to become a pitcher who gives more expectations to fans next year and the year after that."
He has demonstrated since the rookie season that even with fastballs, he can survive on the professional stage with his sophisticated ball control, outstanding deception, and sharp breaking balls. Yoon was proud of this, too. "There are not many such pitchers here," Yoon said. "However, there can be more such pitchers anytime again. I think it is more important to show that even these pitchers can challenge themselves in the professional stage. I want to let my juniors know that speed is not all. I hope that there will be fewer injuries to other young players who are trying too hard."
Looking higher, Yoon is preparing a new weapon. It is a cut fastball (cutter). By making some changes to the slider he threw last year, he will mount it with a cutter and utilize the slider he learned in the U.S. together.
Yoon Young-chul said, "First of all, it's my first time to complete a new pitch," adding, "Hyo-sang Co., Ltd. got it and said it was okay. I think I need to make it slowly while practicing and throwing it in practice and exhibition games."
He dreams of perfection. He intends to improve his physical stamina that will lead the entire season. "In terms of physical stamina, I felt a little tired in the second half of last season, so I am trying to build up my physical stamina a little more," he said.